


Arms Distance

by Skeren



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Marauders' Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 06:22:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5732647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skeren/pseuds/Skeren
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sirius did something he shouldn't have, and Remus just wishes it didn't hurt so much.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Arms Distance

**Author's Note:**

> This was written in February of 2006 for a remix challenge. That happens to be taking someone else's fic (with permission) and rewriting the situation in a different way.
> 
> The story I'd chosen (was assigned? I didn't even remember writing this until today) was [The Line by Lady Goodman](http://saffron.broken-sunshine.net/line.html)

It had taken more willpower than he'd thought possible to stay angry. Even after _that_ night, his rage had only lasted into the following evening. It would be almost too easy to slip into the pattern of forgiveness and to allow the others back into his good graces. It was not something that he could do. He had to make them realize that not everything would be fine, that they did him serious wrong.

It didn't make the following weeks any easier. The younger years knew better than to bother him, and he refused to let his three friends near. Thus leaving him to sit alone at meals, free to study uninterrupted and get things done that had more to do with academics than food. Classes were the same, a lack of note passing giving the sudden ability to actually pay proper attention to the professor. His table was empty more often than not unless a late student chose to sit next to him. 

He didn't want to miss the constant interruptions, nor did he care for the fact that he could feel the mournful gazes following him from place to place. There was a pointed lack of attention when he looked up to check, an obvious air of being ashamed that they didn't seem to understand was worse than if he'd just caught them staring. The three even stayed out of his way when he came into an area, vacating his preferred spots with a strange deference that he wasn't really used to, apologies clear in the air even when they weren't being spoken. 

He was finally being stern with them, making it clear that there were things he simply didn't find acceptable. There were no longer any sly mutterings to get him to play a prank with them. There was no need to pretend that he was arguing when it was just ritual for him to protest. They'd gone one prank too far, and he'd been hurt by it, had nearly done something regrettable because Sirius had a vendetta. They all understood that they'd done something that should be unforgivable, and they didn't contest it, even if there was a plea to be forgiven every time they came near him.

None of the reasons made it any less lonely. He was isolating himself from his pack because they'd done him wrong, but the wolf inside him was feeling the ache far more keenly than the human side and its logic could beat down. He was a social creature, and being otherwise was simply not healthy for him. Still, he couldn't let them just do this, there had to be some kind of punishment to show him he wouldn't accept betrayal.

The reasons made it no easier to hold onto his resolve. He could remember _that_ morning vividly. It had been a _good_ morning, a morning that left unspoken promises between he and Sirius. They were promises that were ripped to tatters that very same evening when he had his confidences betrayed and he suddenly had to face the risk that he had nearly killed a boy.

He tried not to dwell on the thoughts, tried to ignore the other three entirely, but the past few weeks had been hard, and he didn't have the will to shove Sirius out of his bed when the boy crawled in during the early morning hours. Very likely he had woken from some nightmare Remus had refused to go soothe. It was more familiar for the wolf to go to him when the thrashing started, but things had gone differently in the past weeks, and the teen had been left to suffer his demons alone. He said nothing to the intrusion, just inching to the far side of the bed, eyes remaining on the book he was reading for one of his classes.

"Remus, let me talk to you?"

The soft words were spoken as the animagus inched closer, silently urging the book reading boy to give up on it. After a few moments and a nearly inaudible whine from the one staring at him, he sighed, slowly shaking his head as the book was closed. "No, I've had enough of the apologies, I can't change my mind about this."

"I'm not going to. Apologize I mean. I already know you're sick of that. Just... please let me talk to you, a little?" The words were quiet, and very likely were accompanied by the look of a kicked puppy. He didn't check. 

"I don't see why I should. You did something unpardonable to me." He shook his head again, the action a little more focused, and he locked his jaw as he pressed his side up against the far wall, resisting the urge to growl. 

"I know that. But I still want to talk to you. Look at this, even you shouldn't be awake this early." Sirius reached out, pushing the book off the bed with the disgusted words. "So maybe if we talk, you'll get better about this, right?"

"No, I won't." The growl came through his voice, and Remus drew a deep breath in effort to get a handle on himself. It was too close to the next full moon to have his emotions running high like this. "You broke the one rule that really mattered where I'm concerned, I don't see how you expect me to just let go of that."

"I didn't ask you to-"

Remus let out a frustrated sigh and leaned over his hands. "No. Get out of my bed Sirius."

"Moony..."

"No! I'm not going to just change my mind for you, or any of you!" He directed that to James, who he'd heard moving around in a way that seemed to indicate wakefulness. His gaze then swung to the boy in his bed. "I can't do that."

"Moony, how about you and me?" He moved his fingers, covering the werewolf's lips before he could speak and apparently heedless of the unspoken threat that he might be bitten. "I know I fucked up. I fucked up really bad, but I was hoping that maybe that wouldn't go away too?"

Remus narrowed his eyes, baring his teeth for a moment before heaving a deep sigh and turning his face away from the hand. "Why? Of all things, why that Sirius?"

"I don't know. You know me Moony, when does my mind ever make sense, huh?" It was something of a switch, Remus being upset and Sirius quiet, but neither pointed out the obvious wrong in the difference. "I know I fucked up, and I don't expect you to ever forgive me for it. Just don't lock me out anymore, please?"

Amber eyes considered the pleading figure that was practically pinning him to the wall as he slowly leaned up, getting the boy to back off somewhat. "You never change Padfoot. You never do." Using the bit of distance the action gained him, he leaned over and kissed his friend roughly, taking what was offered. Even if he never explained his inability to hold a grudge, Sirius didn't need to know that. He just needed to know who was going to be in charge of these things from now on.

He wouldn't be betrayed by him again.


End file.
